Pietro Angst
by Dru
Summary: Pietro has angst and and major problems and Wanda finds out. Pretty much just an excuse to torture our favorte Speed Demon. Rated for cutting and some curseing and anything else I do to him in future chapters.
1. Chapter One

Pietro Angst (I'll think of a better name later!)  
  
Even though I don't see anything wrong with that I had I don't want problems so A/Ns and my fighting with Pietro can now be found with the fic here: at my message board. I'll keep posting the whole thing there so if anyone wants to read it they can and edit it out when I post it here.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the X-Men or any memebers of The Brotherhood no matter how much I wish I did.  
  
---  
  
Pietro POV  
  
I slide the blade across my arm watching the blood well up and run down over my pale skin to splatter in the sink.  
  
I sigh in release as the physical pain overshadows my mental pain and takes my mind off my thoughts.  
  
This is the only time when I'm free from thinking about my ex-friends and my twin who wishes me dead.  
  
A loud banging on the door makes me jump and drop the blade to the ground with a clatter. "_PIETRO_! Get your ass out of there! You've been in there forever!" Wanda screamed.  
  
"Uh I'll be right out!" I quickly pick up the blade up and wipe it off then close it and drop it in my pocket. I then rinse the blood off my already scabbing arm and rinse the sink before quickly wrapping some toilet paper around my arm and pulling down my shirt sleeve to cover where I cut my self.  
  
"All yours sis!" I say putting on my normal mask of cheerfulness.  
  
She snarls at me and shoves me out of her way before slamming the door in my face.  
  
I don't let my mask drop as I walk at a normal human pace down to the kitchen to get something to eat.  
  
Lance, Todd, and Freddy completely ignore me as I make my self a couple of sandwiches and grab an apple then go back to my room.  
  
I eat my small snack along in my room then pull off the toilet paper around my arm to check on my wound.  
  
It's almost gone already.  
  
One of the perks of my mutation is fast healing. No scars no tell tail signs of my source of stress relief for anyone to find.  
  
As long as I don't pass out from blood loss or anything no one will ever know.  
  
I don't know if I feel happy about that or not...  
  
********************  
  
Wanda's POV  
  
I hate him. I hate that little bastard so much. Leave me there. He left me there! He was my brother! He was supposed to protect me and he just let father leave me in that horrible place!  
  
I shove past him into the bathroom. As soon as the doors closed something hits me as wrong.  
  
Blood.  
  
I can smell blood.  
  
It's just one of those scents you never forget and know right away.  
  
I look down and something caches my eye.  
  
I bend down and touch a tiny spot and look at my finger.  
  
Blood! And fresh blood at that.  
  
But where'd it come from?  
  
Pietro was the last one in here but why would be be bleeding?  
  
I absentmindedly rub my arm as I stare at the tiny stop of blood on the floor and wonder why my brother would be bleeding in here.  
  
********************  
  
See note at top. 


	2. Chapter Two

Even though I don't see anything wrong with that I had I don't want problems so A/Ns and my fighting with Pietro can now be found with the fic here: at my message board. I'll keep posting the whole thing there so if anyone wants to read it they can and edit it out when I post it here.  
  
---  
  
Normal POV  
  
It's later in the evening and everyone is sitting around in the living room watching TV except Pietro and Mystique who were both locked in their rooms ignoring everyone.  
  
Wanda glanced over just as Pietro walked by on his way to the kitchen. She frowned slightly as she saw him cringe when everyone ignored him as usual.  
  
"Have you noticed anything weird about Pietro lately?" She asked still frowning looking where Pietro had walked by.  
  
"Huh? What ya talkin' 'bout Snuckums? The jerk is always weird, yo." Todd said.  
  
Wanda flicked a finger hexing Todd into a wall. "No I mean weirder then normal. I've just been noticing he's been well...walking."  
  
"Uhh what's weird about walking? We all to it in a daily bases Wanda." Lance said giving her a strange look.  
  
"Not Pietro. Think about it. When have you even seen him do anything but run? He's always zipping around. But lately he's been...I don't know kinda slow. And I haven't heard him talk in anything but a human speed in days." Wanda said growing actually concerned as she said her thoughts out loud for the first time.  
  
The guys frowned thinking about what she said.  
  
"Ya know Sweet-uh Wanda's right. He has been actin' pretty weird lately." Todd said as he pulled him self off the floor and back onto his seat.  
  
"And well I didn't bring it up before now but this afternoon I went in the bathroom after Pietro and the room smelled really bloody and I found blood on the floor..."  
  
Lance frowned. "What are you saying? You think he's cutting or something? Come on Wanda! This is Pietro we're talking about! Mr. Ego himself. Mr. 'My Body is shrine of perfectness and nothing can be allowed to cause a flaw in it's perfection!' Do you really think he'd risk scars or doing anything to make him less perfect? Plus he's a huge baby. He can't stand pain in any form. Cries like a little girl." Lance said with a snort.  
  
Wanda looked over as Pietro once again walked by carrying a plate of food. "Lance I mean it. He never even leaves his room except to go to the bathroom or to get food! It just isn't like him. I mean..I hate the little bastard for what he did to me but this is just bugging me. I can't let it go for some reason."  
  
"Fine. We'll just talk to him and get to the bottom of this then you can move on ok?" Lance stood up and headed for the stairs.  
  
The others looked at each other shrugged and followed.  
  
Lance banged on Pietro's door. "Pietro! Open up we got something to talk to you about!" He yelled.  
  
Pietro's door slowly opened and Pietro blinked at them in confusion. "Uhh what's up guys?"  
  
"We wanna know why you're acting weird." Lance demanded.  
  
"Weird? What are you talking about I'm not acting weird." Pietro said pasting on his best confused face.  
  
"Are too. You've been walking not running, you hardly ever leave your room any more, you haven't been dating, you've been talking at a normal human speed, you've been completely not your self and I found blood in the bathroom this afternoon after you left it!" Wanda said accusingly.  
  
Pietro's eyes widened and mentally he was panicking. He forced him self to stay calm on the outside as he looked at the group standing out side his room. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm completely myself! I'm perfect in every way why would I want to be any one else?" Pietro made sure to say something shallow and ego filled to try to sound normal.  
  
"You're lying." Wanda said simply.  
  
"Let us see your arms." Lance ordered.  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Wanda thinks you're cutting so we're going to settle this for once and all. Show us your arms." Lance ordered again..  
  
Pietro pasted on a arrogant smirk and pushed up his sleeves and showed perfect flawlessly smooth arms. "Happy now?"  
  
"No. I know something is up with you and I want to know what!" Wanda growled purple energy dancing around her hands.  
  
"There's nothing wrong with me I'm fine. I don't know why your all suddenly interested in me though. I thought you all hated my guts." Pietro said calmly.  
  
"Well of course we hate you you moron! You betrayed us! Then you come back here and start bossing us around! Why the hell wouldn't we hate you!" Lance yelled.  
  
"And you betrayed me. You're own sister. Your twin. You let that monster lock me away and didn't do a thing to stop him!" Wanda snarled.  
  
"Well now that we got that clear why don't you go back to what you were doing." Pietro said and tried to shut her door.  
  
Wanda's foot shot out and kept him from closing his door. "We're not done with you yet. You still haven't explained why you've been so weird lately."  
  
********************  
  
Pietro POV (I hope the switching POV aren't getting annoying!)  
  
I thought about it for a moment. Was I acting different? I started cutting about a month ago. I started the day it fully sunk in that Wanda would never forgive me and the guys would never be a my friends again.  
  
I just found this razor blade and just slid it across my arm. My thoughts disappeared.  
  
At first I only did it once. Then every few days. Now I'm doing it almost every day.  
  
And a nice side affect I found was that the blood loss and energy taken healing helps keep me in slow mode. Lets when a minute passes it feels like a minute not an hour.  
  
I guess they're right. I have been different. I've been slow from all the blood loss.  
  
I'm gonna have to watch that if they're already caching on.  
  
But is that what I really want? To keep hiding? Doesn't a part of me want them to find out? Want them to worry and care and help me? Yeah... but that's never gonna happen so they can't find out. The only reason they care is they probably think I'm up to something. Planing something. They don't care about me. Not after what I did.  
  
"Pietro! Well? Answer me! God! Here's the proof right here! You've never taken this long to answer in your whole life! You're Quicksilver! You don't take forever to think up an answer!" Wanda yelled startling me out of my thoughts.  
  
"I Uh I don't have to explain anything to you! I'm in charge here! If I want to act weird I'll act weird! Now leave me alone!" I slam my door closed, lock it then lean against it sliding down to the floor resting my head on my knees.  
  
I look down at my arms sleeves still pushed up and run my fingers lightly over where I know cuts have been. Gone. Not even a slight mark to know they'd been there.  
  
I reach into my pocket and pull out the blade still in there.  
  
My eyes are glued to the shiny razor sharp blade and I watch as I lightly run it over my arm just breaking the skin.  
  
I close my eyes as the pain takes away my thoughts of what just happened.  
  
"_PIETRO_! This isn't over! I want to know what's going on and I won't give up till I do!" Wanda bellowed from outside the door.  
  
"Go away Wanda." I say just loud enough to be heard as I watch the small wound clot and scab. I cut again slightly deeper and watch the blood run down my pale arm and hit my jeans.  
  
"WHAT IS GOING ON?! WHY IS EVERYONE MAKING SUCH A RACKET?!" I hear Mystique scream.  
  
"Something's weird with Pietro and he won't tell me what it is!" Wanda tells her.  
  
"So you're all standing around the hall screaming your heads off because Pietro is weird?! Well stop it! I want some peace and quiet and I will kill you to get it! Now SHUT UP!" I chuckle softly as the house shakes from the force of her slamming door.  
  
"Alright why don't we just go back to the TV now before The Boss Lady kills us?" Lance whispers to the others.  
  
"No! I want to know what's going on with Pietro!" Wanda hisses back.  
  
"You know that walls aren't that thick in this house I can hear every word you're saying." I tell them conversationally.  
  
Silence from the hall.  
  
I stand up and walk over to my night table and pull out a box of baby wipes which I use to clean up my arm and blade then flop down on the bed nearly knocking my forgotten dinner on the floor.  
  
I force my self to eat knowing I can't afford to lose any weight and I need to food to heal.  
  
When I'm done I lay on my bed staring at the ceiling wondering why my sister is suddenly obsessed with what's wrong with me.  
  
Could she actually care about me?  
  
********************  
  
Normal POV  
  
After being yelled at by Mystique and Pietro saying he could hear them they'd gone back to the living room having to drag Wanda who hexed them for daring to touch her.  
  
"Yo I'm really startin' to think Swee-er Wanda's right about Tro. He's actin' all crazy, yo." Todd said flopping down on his chair.  
  
"Todd's right. I've never seen Pietro like that. Ever. He's so...slow." Lance said frowning.  
  
"I know. There's something wrong with him. And as much as I hate to admit it I care. Damn it I care! I hate him for what he did but some small stupid part of me is still his twin sister who loves the stupid moron!" Wanda snarled.  
  
The guys all stared at her in shock.  
  
"Oh stop staring at me like that! You care too and you know it! If you didn't you wouldn't have gone up there with me in the first place. You wouldn't have cared if we found him dead in a puddle of blood." Wanda growled at them.  
  
The other cringed at the mental image. "Ok, ok yeah we still care about the big idiot. We're still pissed off at him for betraying us but he's our brother." Lance admitted.  
  
Fred finely spoke up for the first time since this all started. "So what are we gonna do?"  
  
"We're gonna find out what's wrong and we're going to help him if he likes it or not." Wanda growled.  
  
******************** 


	3. Chapter Three

Me: Chapter3 is here now! This part also has some humor in it. I just can't seem to stay serious no matter how how hard I try... Hmm I can't decide if Wanda is OOC in this or not... Tell me if you think so!  
  
And I'd like to thank Rogue14, Maria Christina, Sarkywoman(), Denielle, anarchylust, and Suraka-chan for Reviewing!  
  
Rest of my goofy A/N found at my message board link in my profile since the link seems to be what's screwing up the chapter.  
  
Re-uploaded. I don't know what went wrong with that last up-load. Sorry guys!!  
  
---  
  
Pietro POV  
  
I open my door a crack and peek around to see if anyones lurking in the hall. When I don't see anyone I open it fully and run down to the kitchen at super speed.  
  
I quickly dump my dishes from yesterday in the sink then grab some salad, a apple, a banana, a bowl of cereal, and a large glass of orange juice and run back to my room.  
  
I fall against my door gasping the room spinning wildly as I struggle not to black out.  
  
"Damn blood loss..." I mumble under my breath after the room stops spinning and I sit down on my bed to eat my breakfast.  
  
When I'm done I sit back on my bed and think. "I have to do something about this. If I can't use my powers I'll be really screwed if we get sent on a mission or get in a fight. So I have to go back to only cutting once in a while or maybe just really shallow cuts that don't bleed a lot. Maybe vitamins or something would help too." I mumble as I think out loud.  
  
I jump slightly when someone knocks on my door. "Yeah what?"  
  
"It's Mystique. Open up I want to talk to you."  
  
I moan under my breath. This is the last thing I need right now! I climb off my bed and walk to the door and open it. "Yeah Mystique? What's up?"  
  
She pushes by me and walks into my room. I shut the door and lean against it raising an eye brow at her.  
  
"What was all the screaming about last night?" She said pinning me with a glare.  
  
"How would I know? Wanda and the guys were being weird and claiming I'm the one being weird." I say nonchalantly.  
  
She narrows her eyes at me trying to tell if my lying or not. I smirk and shift my weight. "You really have no idea what they were screaming about?"  
  
"Nope. None. You know how they are. Total weirdos." I say shrugging and swaggering over to by bed and plopping down.  
  
"Mm-hmm. Well I don't want it happening again do you understand me? I don't like hearing screaming when I'm trying to relax. Now I'm going out but when I get back tonight I was quiet!" She said with a growl and stalks out of my room slamming the door after her.  
  
I sigh and rub my hands over my face. Great. Just great. Now I'm gonna have to pull out my bossy jerk act and order them to stay quiet and they'll hate me ever more. Just wonderful.  
  
Normal POV  
  
Lance was the first up. Well at least the first up to not lock him self back in his room.  
  
He stumbled down the stairs and started making the coffee. He leaned against the counter yawning as he waited for his morning fix of caffeine.  
  
Monday. He hated school days. He didn't get why Mystique and Magneto wanted them in school but they did so they were.  
  
Once he had his first cup of coffee in him he went about making breakfast for him self then went to wake everyone up.  
  
After he was done eating and they were done showering and getting dressed he went up and showered and dressed while they ate.  
  
He stopped in front of Pietro's door and gave it a bang. "Pietro! School time! You riding with us or running?"  
  
He heard Pietro's voice from inside the room. "I'll walk."  
  
"Fine. just don't be late or Mystique will blow a fuse if you have detention again." Lance said walking away.  
  
It was funny. Even though Magneto had put Pietro in charge Lance still acted like the leader. Or rather like the parent.  
  
Lance, Freddy, Todd, and Wanda headed out to school leaving Pietro alone in the house.  
  
Pietro POV  
  
When the other's were gone I left my room.  
  
I ran down the stairs and stopped at the bottom to stop my head from spinning. "Argh! This is getting on my nerves! I can't do anything any more! What was I thinking doing this to my self?!" I snarl as I walk to the kitchen to grab a last minute energy boost so I can hopefully make it to school with out passing out.  
  
I use my super speed to to drink a few cups of coffee extra sweet, down a couple Jolts from the fridge, make my self a weight gain shake, and check to make sure a had a large supply of Pixie Sticks on my pockets.  
  
Once I'm buzzing from the caffeine I feel more like my self and race to school beating the guys there as usual.  
  
I'm just getting some books from my locker when I see them walking down the hall. Time to confuse the hell out of them and keep them from thinking any things wrong with me.  
  
"Heyslowpokes! Tookyoulongenoughtogethere! What'dyoudocrawl?" I asked bouncing around them grinning like a maniac.  
  
Wanda narrowed her eyes at me.  
  
"OhyeahbeforeIforgettotellyouMystiquewantsyouguystokeepquietwhenshegetshomet onight!" I tell them slipping on my snotty 'Boss' face.  
  
"Why did she just tell us her self?" Lance asked also giving me a look.  
  
"HowshouldIknow? Shejusttoldmetotellyou! Sodoit!"  
  
I don't understand why the guys are giving me these weird looks. They don't look pissed that I'm even near them like normal they're just staring at me weirdly.  
  
I grab my books then race to my homeroom forgetting about the guys for now.  
  
Normal POV  
  
"Did you see him?! He was actin' totally normal, yo! Maybe we were all wrong about him, yo." Todd said hopping down the hall with the others.  
  
"It wasn't him. I mean the hyperness wasn't natural. It was caffeine and sugar." Wanda told them.  
  
"How do you know?" Lance asked her.  
  
"He's my twin. I know him. There's a difference between his natural hyperness and fake hyperness. I'm the only one who can tell. No one else has ever been able to." Wanda said as she stuffed some books into her locker and grabbed others.  
  
"So it's like one of those Psychic twin things?" Freddy asked.  
  
"Yeah I guess." Wanda said shutting her locker. "I have to get to class now. We'll talk more at lunch."  
  
They all split up and went to their separate classes.  
  
Still Normal POV  
  
At lunch they all met up at their normal table and sat down. "How're we gonna talk about 'Tro if he's sittin' here with us?" Todd asked taking a bite of his lunch.  
  
"We'll get rid of him. Get him to go T.P Kelly's or Summers car or something." Lance said.  
  
"Ok so we need a plan. We have to decide how we're gonna figure out what's wrong with the idiot then how we're gonna fix him." Wanda said.  
  
"Ok well we could search his room?" Freddy suggested  
  
"He's always in it lately!" Lance complained.  
  
"No, no that could work. We might find something that will tell us what's wrong with him. Ok here's what we do. After school we wait till one of the times when he leaves the room then we distract him. Talk to him, argue, anything to keep him out of his room then one of us searches it." Wanda laid out her plan in between bites of, only god knows what, that was for lunch that day.  
  
"Sounds good. So who does what?" Lance asked.  
  
"You, Toad, and Freddy distract him I'll search. I know his obsessive compulsiveness best and I have the best chance of putting his stuff back where he left it so he won't know I was looking. All you have to do is keep him busy for a a few minutes or so."  
  
"Great. So we have a plan. Now all we have to do is wait till school is over so we can put it into action." Lance said with a grin.  
  
Just moments after he said that Pietro zipped up with his tray and sat down a slight bit away from the rest of the group.  
  
They looked over as he started eating.  
  
He looked up to see them staring at him. "I know I'm beautiful and all but why are you guys staring at me?"  
  
Lance pointed to his almost over flowing tray. "We know you eat a lot but you normally spread it out over the day not all at once. What's with all the food. And why is most of it candy?!"  
  
Pietro looked down at his tray. "It's not mostly candy. Just a few candy bars and some Pixie Sticks with my regular cafeteria slop. And what do you care what I eat? What's it to you?" He said defensively.  
  
"Cause we have to live with you when you're hyped up on all the sugar! And you're drinking Jolt with it! You're trying to kill us aren't you?!"  
  
Pietro glared at Lance and stood up taking his tray to a different table across the room.  
  
Wanda slapped Lance up side the head. "Great going! Get him pissed at us! He'll really talk to you guys at home while I'm searching and accept our help now! God! How did you make it to high school if you're this stupid?!"  
  
Lance cringed. "I didn't know he was gonna freak like that! It was a legitimate question when the guy in question is hyper without sugar or caffeine!"  
  
Wanda kept glaring at him. "Go apologize. You'll never keep him away from his room if his pissed at you!"  
  
"Oh please! He has an attention span of two seconds he probably forgot already!"  
  
"GO!" Wanda growled holding her hand up and letting it glow with energy.  
  
"Yes ma'am!" Lance said quickly getting up before Wanda could hex him.  
  
"Uh hey Pietro? I'm uh sorry for pissing you off. And uh the comments about the stuff you're eating. Why don't you uh come back over to the table?" Lance said awkwardly looking over his shoulder at Wanda looking threatening.  
  
Pietro looked at him like he just grew a second head. "You guys are on drugs aren't you. You're taking crack!"  
  
"What?! We are not!"  
  
"Then explain the freaky behavior!"  
  
Lance opened his mouth to answer then closed it when he couldn't think of anything that made sense. He glowered. "Just come back over to the table." He turned and stalked back over and sat down.  
  
"Well?! What happened? I don't see him coming over here!" Wanda snarled.  
  
"He thinks we're on crack." Lance told them going back to eating.  
  
"He what?!" Wanda shrieked.  
  
"Shhh! Keep your voice down! You want the whole school hearing you?! I said he thinks we're on crack. And to tell the truth I don't blame him! We're acting like freaks!"  
  
"Argh! Do I have to do everything my self?!" Wanda stood up and stalked over to Pietro. She stood there glaring at him then physically hauled him to his feet and started dragging him back to the table. Pietro just barely managed to grab his tray as he was dragged off.  
  
By now most of the room was watching this little Soap Opera with amusement.  
  
Wanda gave the room a look that screamed 'Mind your own business or die!' and everyone quickly found their lunches or conversations fascinating..  
  
Pietro sighed sitting down again at the table. "Will someone please tell me why you guys are acting so weird today? Anyone? Even a hint would help!"  
  
"Uh nothin's up Speedy. We uh just want the pleasure of your company, yo." Todd said brightly.  
  
Pietro stared. "Oh you guys are so on drugs."  
  
"We're not on drugs Pietro." Lance said again.  
  
Pietro snorted. "Yeah sure. Right. And Freddy can beat me in a race. Tell me a nether one."  
  
They guys exchanged looks wondering how they'd gotten into this mess.  
  
"Just don't let Mystique or dad catch you while you're high you'll get a ass kicking of the century." Pietro warned as he concentrated on his food.  
  
"Pietro! We are not on drugs! We're just...worried about you ok." Wanda admitted.  
  
Pietro blinked slowly at his sister. "You're worried about me? Did I wake up in the wrong universe or something?" He asked looking completely confused.  
  
"Tro, yo you gotta admit you been actin' pretty psycho lately." Todd said.  
  
"I've been acting weird?! Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!"  
  
"So we're all weird ok! But you've been really out of character the last few weeks or so. You've been hiding in your room, talking normally, not running around at super speed, everything's off with you! And as much as we hate to admit it we're worried!" Wanda hissed trying to keep the whole student body from over hearing.  
  
Pietro stared open mouth in shock. "You...care?"  
  
"Well of course we care you idiot! We're family! I'm your twin and the other morons here still think of you as family even if you are a grade A idiot. Now suck it up and tell us what's wrong!" Wanda told him sternly.  
  
The bell rang before Pietro could even think of something to say. Pietro quickly finished his lunch in super speed then raced off without another word.  
  
Wander balled her fists and barely kept her self from hexing anyone and everyone. "I'm gonna kill him. No worse I'll make him long for the days when I was trying to kill him! I will kick his skinny ass!"  
  
Pietro POV  
  
I race down the empty street my mind racing faster then my legs could run even on a good day.  
  
I can not believe what had happened before at school. Wanda and the guys had admitted they cared about me! They're worried about what's happening with me. They love me!  
  
It was hours ago and I'm still recovering from the shock. I managed to avoid all of them for the rest of the school day and had raced out of the school as soon as the last bell rang.  
  
My legs burn, my vision's blurred, my heart feels like it's going to explode right out of my chest but I push my self on and kept running. Maybe if I run fast enough and far enough all this will suddenly make sense to me.  
  
Suddenly I slow down and fall to the ground struggling to keep from blacking out. The world spins wildly as I gasp for air and fall back laying on the grass staring up at the sky as it fades in and out.  
  
After what feels like hours things go back to normal. I stay laying on the grass trying to straighten out my thoughts. This is a good thing right? They care about me. They want to help me. Then why am I so terrified?  
  



	4. Chapter Four

Link to version with A/Ns in my profile.  
  
---  
  
Normal POV  
  
The Brotherhood members walked into their house frowning. None of them had seen Pietro since lunch and he hadn't shown up at the jeep after school. Normally that wouldn't be a big deal since plenty of times he'd run home or have a date or something after school. But now with everything that was going on with him they were worried.  
  
"Pietro? PIETRO! Are you here?" Wanda yelled as she walked up the steps.  
  
There was no answer.  
  
"Well at least it'll be easier to search his room if he's not home right?" Freddy said trying to sound upbeat.  
  
"Yeah, yo. We don't have to worry about keeping him busy just like keep a look out for if he comes home suddenly, yo."  
  
Wanda didn't answer as she slowly turned the door knob and opened Pietro's door. She looked around to make sure he was really not home and not just ignoring them before stepping into the room.  
  
First she looked around at everything trying to memorize where everything was so she could put it back perfectly. After a minute she started opening drawers and looking for any clue about what was wrong with her brother.  
  
She found clothes perfectly folded and sorted by colors, tons of cloth and material and sewing stuff for making more clothes, books lined up alphabetical, more moisturizers and hair care things then even she had, school books and papers already done weeks ahead of when they were due, vitamins, weight gain powers and bars, candy, cleaning stuff for keeping his room practically hospitable sterile, condoms, lots and lot of condoms, lube, porn lots and lot of porn and was that a man?!, pretty much everything she'd expected to find in her brothers room except for something that would tell her what the hell was going on with him!  
  
Wanda sat back on her heels from where she was looking though a trunk and frown when she noticed the time. She'd been in here for two hours and Pietro still hadn't shown up. She triple checked that she'd put everything back where she found it then left Pietro's room closing the door after her.  
  
Three heads turned and stared at her hopefully as she walked into the living room. She shook her head sadly. "Sorry guys I got nothing. Other then finding out somethings about my brothers sex life that I'd rather not know I didn't find out anything that could tell us what's wrong."  
  
"What? What do you mean finding out stuff about his sex life?!" Lance asked quickly.  
  
"Uh well there was porn...and a some of it was guys. And I suddenly realize I probably shouldn't be telling you guys this so if Pietro finds out you know I'll kill you all slowly."  
  
The guys sat back looking disappointed. "Oh we knew about that already. He's bi. Didn't you know? We found that out about 10 seconds after he moved in here."  
  
Wanda blinked. "You guys knew something like that and you didn't bother to tell me?! I'm his fucking twin and I didn't know!"  
  
"Well we figured you knew already, sweetums. I mean it's not like he hides it or anything, yo. Hell he's bought as many guys home as he has girls!"  
  
Wanda stared open mouthed too shocked to hex him for calling her sweetums.  
  
"You really had no idea? That's kinda hard to believe...." Lance said.  
  
Wanda threw a hex bolt at him glaring.  
  
Lance ducked then cleared his throat. "Ahem. Anyway back to Pietro so you couldn't find anything to tell us what's up with him?"  
  
Wanda shook her head sighing and sitting down in a chair. "Not a thing. I even flipped though the pages of his books to see if he hid anything in them and I couldn't find a thing."  
  
Just then the front door opened and Pietro trudged in.  
  
All of them stared in shock. He was dripping with sweat and looked like he'd lost weight since they'd seen him a few hours ago at lunch.  
  
Pietro completely ignored them as he walked to the kitchen and started eating anything and everything that he came across.  
  
"Pietro? Where have you been? What happened?" Wanda demanded coming up behind him.  
  
Pietro paused in his eating long enough to say, "Went running."  
  
"Running?! That's all? Then why are you dripping with sweat and looking like you haven't eaten in a month?!"  
  
Pietro sighed and stopped eating for the moment. "I over did it a little I guess. Too far, too fast. I just need to eat and grab a nap and I'll be fine." He went back to eating.  
  
"I don't think so. This on top of everything else?! Man up is up with you?!"  
  
"I don't have any idea what you're talking about." Pietro said around a mouth full of food.  
  
"You know perfectly well what we're talking about! What we were talking about at lunch. What we were talking about last night. Now tell us what's wrong before I beat it out of you!" Wanda ordered.  
  
Pietro froze like a deer in the headlights then grabbed as much food as he could carry and bolted to his room.  
  
"I am going to KILL him once I get my hands on him!" Wanda screamed as things in the room started floating.  
  
Pietro POV  
  
Damn, damn damn! God she is not gonna let this go! God what am I supposed to tell them?! 'Gee guys you see I've been slitting my wrists cause I can't handle you all hating me but now I've found out you don't so everything is hunky dory again!'?! Arugh! I can not handle this right now!  
  
I pace back a forth across my room all the while stuffing food in my mouth as fast as I can go to try to regain some of the weight I burned off with my run.  
  
They care. I should be happy right? And I guess I am but I don't know what I'm going to say to them! They want answers and I don't have any to give! I can't tell them the truth. They'll freak even more then they are now or lock me up in some nut house like Father did to Wanda.  
  
I couldn't handle that.  
  
Even with my powers being on the fritz from the blood loss I still can't stand to be still for too long. I could never handle being in some small enclosed room with no way to get out. No where to run. And once I'm totally recovered it'd be even worse! I'd really go insane then!  
  
Lie. I have to lie. Think! Think! I have to think up a lie they'll buy! Uhh drugs! No you idiot that's as bad as cutting! Uhh drinking? No same as drugs! Uhh bad break up causing depression and angst that I'll magically get over in the next few days? Hmm that could work. yes I'll go with that one. Ok. Ok next time they come to try to make me talk I'll act like I've been acting like I refuse to talk about it then they'll keep pushing and then I'll break down and start sobbing over a horrible break up with...uhh Suzy! Yeah a horrible break up with Suzy and I've been so miserable I haven't had the will to leave my room or do much of anything even use my powers then I can slowly 'recover' from it! Yeah! Yeah that should work!  
  
I flop down on my bed still eating. My plan has to work. They can't find out what's really wrong with me. I can't risk being locked up. I can't!  
  
I finish the food I'd grabbed on my way up here and reach for the weight gain bars I keep in my room. I eat a couple and figure I can try to drink a couple shakes later and hope it's enough to get some weight back on me.  
  
I lay across my bed trying to relax and forget about the others. I try to ignore the little voice in my head saying, 'Just pull out your razor. You know you want to. Just slide that blade across your arm and feel all your troubles melt away.' NO! I can not afford anymore blood loss right now! Even with my mutation speeding up my recovery It's still too noticeable what the blood loss does to me.  
  
I pull the blade from my pocket and drop it in the chest I keep my sewing stuff in and lock it to try to keep the temptation away.  
  
I gotta wait till I don't nearly pass out when I use my powers without a sugar and caffeine high. At least until then. Which should be another day or so.  
  
I can wait.  
  
I can!  
  
Normal POV  
  
Wanda was not going to her her bother get away with running from her. She was going to find out what was wrong with him Andean fix it. She was going to get her happy, speedy, annoying brother back if she had to kill him to do it.  
  
The others watched as Wanda paced back and forth in the kitchen. "OK we need a new plan! Any one got any ideas?"  
  
"Uh why don't we just go up there and refuse to leave till he talks, to? Stick Freddy in front of the door and he'll have no choice, yo." Toad suggested.  
  
"You know that actually is a good idea Toad. Well?! What are you guys waiting for?! Let's go!" Wanda started stalking for the stairs and after a moment the others followed her.  
  
"PIETRO MAXIMOFF! You open this door right now or it's coming off!" Wanda bellowed banging on it.  
  
Pietro POV  
  
"PIETRO MAXIMOFF! You open this door right now or it's coming off!" I jump when Wanda screams and bangs on my door.  
  
They're here! God that was faster then I expected them!  
  
I quickly jump up and look around for anything that could tip them off then open my door.  
  
It flies out of my hand and slams into the wall as they storm into my room like a SWAT team raiding a crack house.  
  
I fall back startled and sit on the floor blinking up at my roommates in shock.  
  
Things are not going as I had planed.  
  
"Ok this is it Pietro. You are not running away from us again. You will sit here and tell us what's wrong with you and we're not leaving till you do. Blob is in front of that door. You are not getting out of this room till we know what the hell has been going on with you lately!" Wanda said standing over me with her arms crossed over her chest. God she is even more scary from this angle!  
  
Plan! Remember the plan! What the hell is the plan?!? "I-I-I uh I don't have to tell you guys anything!" Yes! That's it pretend I'm not going to tell them anything then when they keep pushing I fake a breakdown and sob out a story about a girl!  
  
Wanda's hands start to glow with purple energy and things start to float. "That is not the answer we were looking for! NOW TALK!"  
  
"I-I-I Oh god Sara!" Sara?!? Fuck! No that wasn't the name! Ugh it is now I guess! "Oh Sara why did you have to leave me!" I sob thanking god I'm as good at acting as I am at everything else. Perfect.  
  
"Uh Sara, yo?"  
  
"M-M-My giiiiirl friiiiend! And she leffffft meeee! Oh God why?!? WHY?!? Why are you so cruel?! Why'd you have to take her away from me?!" I wail loudly as I throw my self off the floor and over my bed.  
  
I peek out of the corner of my eye and see my room mates staring at me open mouthed. I wail louder then sob hysterically. "SARA! Oh my sweet, beautiful, wonderful, perfect Sara!"  
  
"Uh maybe we should you know leave?" Freddy asked sounding hopeful.  
  
"No." Wanda said shortly staring at me hardly.  
  
"Sweetums we found out what's wrong with him. Some chick. Maybe we should leave him alone now, yo." Toad said avoiding looking at me.  
  
"Pietro. Pietro! Calm down! We want details. Who's Sara and what happened with her?" Wanda asked stepping closer to my bed.  
  
Crap! I didn't make up a story! Ok ok I can do this. Just keep sobbing and Super speed brain don't fail me now! I sit up and wipe my face off with my sleeve then start top make up a story. "She- She was the most wonderful, perfect, graceful, talented, beautiful woman I ever met. She was the light of my life. She- She was in collage. And I thought I love would last forever. But she broke up with me! Oh God! She broke up with me and now my world is nothing more then darkness and pain!" I wail loudly and throw my self back down on the bed burying my face in my pillow.  
  
I feel a hand gently stroking my shoulder comfortingly then suddenly it grips tightly and flips me over ruffly. "You're lying. You maybe have fooled the others but you can't fool me. I know you. And every word coming out of your mouth right now is a lie." She said softly staring me in the eye.  
  
I freeze and push down my rising panic. I hadn't figured in Wanda being able to tell I'm lying. Damn twin connection that only comes out at the worst times!  
  
"W-Wanda what do you mean? I'm just telling you want happened with me and Suzy." I say putting every drop of acting skills I have into my hurt and confused look.  
  
A smirk slowly forms on Wanda's face and she raises an eyebrow. "Suzy? I thought her name was Sammy?"  
  
"Uh I meant Sammy! Suzy was a different girl and my head's not on right right now!"  
  
Wanda full out laughed now. "I caught you brother dear. The name you said before was Sara. Then suddenly it's Suzy then Sammy? Bro you are caught. Now fess up. What's really going on?"  
  
Now the panic comes out fully. "I-I-I uh. Well Oh God!" I bolt out of my bed and taking one look at Fred in front of my door jump for the window.  
  
With my speed they don't have even a chance of catching me. I'm out the window and running straight down the side of the house before they can realize I'm gone.  
  



	5. Chapter Five

Ok link A/N's in my profile! Thank you to all my readers!!  
  
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Normal POV  
  
Pietro's personal belongings were flying around the room while the lights flickered. Wanda was pissed.  
  
The other had run out of the room and were hiding in the hall debating trying to talk to her.  
  
"No way! no way in hell! She's more pissed then I've ever seen her! She'll gut us!" Lance hissed.  
  
"We gotta yo! If we don't calm sweetums down who will?! She's trashin' Tro's room and then she'll trash us! We gotta calm her down before then, yo!"  
  
"And how do we do that?! Like she's gonna listen to us?! She's out of her mind with anger at Pietro and if we go in there we're dead men!"  
  
"I'll try to talk to her, yo." Toad volunteered.  
  
"You're a brave, brave, brave little Toad, man." Lance said shaking his head.  
  
Toad straightened his back took a deep breath then hopped into Pietro's room. "W-Wanda? Uh hey ya gotta calm down, yo. We're not gonna get Tro back if you're too busy trashing his room, yo. We'll get him, yo. All we gotta do is wait till he gets home and hog tie him like we do when he's on a major sugar/caffeine high. Then ya can yell or whatever all ya want till ya get it out of him, yo." To Lance and Freddy's amazement it seemed to be working. Wanda was calming down.  
  
"Ok. Ok I'm calm. he has to come home some time and when he does we'll grab him and keep him tied up till we get the truth out of him." Wanda said now much calmer then she'd been a minute ago.  
  
Lance and Freddy peeked around the door frame and saw Toad standing a few feet away from Wanda who was distracting her self from her anger by cleaning up the damage she'd done to Pietro's room. "So uh is everything ok now?"  
  
Lance barely ducked a hex bolt Wanda threw at his head. "Don't push me Rock Boy."  
  
"We'll be down stairs if you need us!" Lance shouted from outside the room as the two of them headed downstairs as fast as they could.  
  
Wanda gave up cleaning and sat on the edge of Pietro's bed covering her face with her hands.  
  
"Wanda? Sweety? It'll be ok I swear. Everything will be fine of we have to torture Pietro to make it fine, yo." He told her when he saw her shoulders start to shake.  
  
"Arugh! It's just all of this! I go from hating his guts to caring a hell of a lot to him in one day! Damn it I'm worried! He's never been like this before! He's not himself and I don't know what I'm even going to do when I catch him! How am I supposed to fix whatever is wrong with him?!" She growled fighting the tears that were filling her eyes.  
  
"Wanda we'll get him help, yo. We'll find a doc or hell we'll go the the X- Freaks if we have too! We'll fix him!"  
  
Wanda sniffled and cracked a smile. "You know that's actually comforting Toa-Todd. Thank you."  
  
Toad smiled brightly. "Aww it's nothing snuckums!"  
  
Wanda cringed at the pet name. "Todd..."  
  
"Ooops sorry Wanda." Toad said sheepishly.  
  
Wanda smiled slightly, shook her head, and stood up. "It's ok. Just try to cut it out ok? Now first I'm going to wash my face and fix my makeup then we can go downstairs and wait for my annoying pest of a brother." Wanda stalked out of the room and into the bathroom.  
  
Toad hopped out of the room and downstairs into the living room where Lance and Freddy were walking TV.  
  
"Toad? You lived? I'm impressed. I thought for sure she was gonna rip you limb from limb." Lance commented.  
  
"Nah we just talked and she's fixing her makeup now. I'm gonna go find the duct tape and stuff for when Pietro gets home." Toad said as he hopped out of the room.  
  
Pietro's POV  
  
I stop running when I'm a short distance from the house. I can't afford to run right now I'm still too tired and burned off way to many calories with my run before.  
  
I need more food. If I do any more running today first I'll need a lot of food. I check my wallets to see if I have any money on me to get something to eat. $.50 and some lint. Great. Not even enough to get something off the dollar menu at MacDonald's.  
  
I can't steal without my speed and I can't use my speed without food which I can't get without money which I can't get without stealing. Just wonderful. My day just keeps getting better and better doesn't it?!  
  
Hmm. Let's see I'm sweaty and gross, I'm dead tired, even though I just ate five minutes ago I'm hungry again, I can't go home unless I want to be grabbed by the guys, I can't use my powers till I get some food into me, I can't get food unless I can get some money or at the very least flirt a cute guy or girl working at the counter into giving it to me free and that's so not gonna happen with me reeking. So I'm screwed.  
  
I flop down on a bench and throw my arm over my eyes. "Life stinks."  
  
"Maximoff?" I moan when I hear that voice. And I thought my day couldn't get any worse!  
  
"Pietro that's you right? What are you doing? What happened to you, man?" Evan Daniels asks standing over me.  
  
"No it's not Pietro. Nothing. Nothing. Now go away." I mumble at him not moving my arm from my face.  
  
"Maximoff what are you doing laying on a bench, man? And why are you all sweaty and look like you haven't eaten in a month?" Why won't he just go away?! God he tries to avoid me when I'm annoying him on a daily bases almost and now when I want him gone he's on me like glue?!  
  
"Maximoff? Pietro? Man are you ok?! Dude you're starting to freak me out!" Is that....worry? Good god now Daniels is worried about me?! How bad must look?! Ok now if everything else wasn't a kick in the ass this is. When your arch enemy starts to worry about you it's time to fix things!  
  
"Look Daniels I'm fine. Would ya just go away?! Can't a person lay on a park bench in peace any more?!" I growl finely pulling my arm down and glare at him.  
  
"Man, Maximoff you look like crap! What the heck happened to you?!" Daniels might possible be worse then my sister. God what is with people and not respecting a mans right to privacy?!  
  
"Daniels I keep tellin' ya I'm fine! I just over used my powers a little. That's why I'm sweaty and skinny alright?!" Great going Maximoff. Why not just blurt out the whole story while you're at it?! God I'm stupid. Beautiful but stupid.  
  
"Pietro I've know you my whole life and you've never gotten tired or this sweaty from running. Never." Ok what the hell has happened to my ability to lie to people?! What am I a freaking book?!  
  
"I was thinking about stuff and I wasn't paying attention and I went too fast for too long. Burned too many calories. As soon as I can eat and catch a nap I'll be fine. Now if you don't mind I'm going to do that second thing. Bug off." I throw my arm back over my eyes and pretend to go to sleep. Yeah right like I'd actually go to sleep on a bench in a public park. I'm not that stupid!  
  
I let out a yelp when Evan grabs my arm and drags me too my feet. "Daniels?! What the hell is wrong with you?!"  
  
"What's wrong with ME?! You're the one crazy enough to think I'd leave you here alone looking half dead to sleep! You're clearly not in your right mind, man and while we're not friends anymore there's no way in hell I'm leaving you here!" If I live though all this I swear to never let things get this bad again if I can make Daniels this worried about me!  
  
"Daniels! Get off me, man! Jeez! If you're that freaked about me being out here I'll just go home. Bye. See ya at school or whatever." I turn to leave and he grabs me again.  
  
"Wait a minute. Why didn't you do that in the first place?"  
  
"Was wiped out from my run like I said. But now I'm going. Bye." I try to leave but he still is holding on to my arm!  
  
"Is something wrong at home? Did the guys like throw you out or something?" I hate my life. I so very much hate my life right now.  
  
"No they did not kick me out! Now will ya just let go of me so I can go home and shower, eat, and sleep?!" I all but whine at my former best friend.  
  
"It's just...dude you're plane out acting weird!" I rub my face with the arm not being gripping be Evan.  
  
"Look I'm just tired and want to go home and you are keeping me from going home!" Yes I'm whining again. But it is true. I really do just want to go home, eat, shower, and sleep. But I can't really do any of that unless Wanda nd everyone is out or asleep or something. My life is just so screwed up right now!  
  
"Come on. You're coming to The Institute." I stare at Evan in disbelief. "You're totally nuts man!"  
  
"No really. As much as you keep saying you want to go home you don't. I can tell. You don't know a guy for most of your life without knowing him. And right now I can tell no matter how much you say you want to go home you don't. So come on. You can eat and shower at The Institute then maybe by then you'll actually feel like going home." I shake my head and try to pull my arm away.  
  
"Daniels you've gone stark raving mad!" Evan shoots me a smirk as he drags me along as he walks. "What? You're turning down the change to mooch off us? Free food, free shower, free bed?"  
  
I sigh and hang my head. Oh screw it. I'm too tired from the crap with Wanda to fight with Daniels right now. I'll mooch then run. Yeah that'll work. Clear out the kitchen in one grand mooch hell maybe even spend the night and by tomorrow afternoon I can head home and deal with Wanda and the guys after I'm rested up. Perfect plan. "Ok fine I'll go with you. But no trying to talk me into joining you X-Geeks or anything!"  
  
Evan shoots me a grin. "You're acting like you have a choice in this, 'Tro. You don't. If I had to I just would of throw you over my shoulder and carried you kicking and screaming to The Institute." I stare at him in disbelief. "You have got to be joking!"  
  
"Nope. Not joking. Not like you weigh that much. And I know somethings up with you and there's just no way I'd let anyone stay out and spend the night on a park bench!" I moan again and really wish Wanda had just bought my lie before.  
  
Still Pietro's POV  
  
I sit at insanely large table in the kitchen at the X-Mansion. I still can't believe I let Evan drag me here. Ok yeah I don't mind the huge piles of food he and his aunt are practically stuffing down my throat, but the X- Geek's hovering around staring at me is getting pretty damn annoying.  
  
I swallow a mouthful of food and scowl at a young looking kid staring at me wide eyed. "What?!" My yell makes the kid jump and run out of the room. It also makes Evan's aunt scowl at me. "Pietro Maximoff! I know You have better manners then that young man!" Despite my self I flinch. "Sorry Ms. Monroe." I mumble and take a nether bite.  
  
"It's only natural that he children would be curious as to why one of our enemies would be sitting in our kitchen eating. You must have patience with them." I mentally roll my eyes but nod my head and keep eating.  
  
I'm already feeling a thousand times better. Ms. Monroe had sent me to shower and change into something of Evan's while he filled her in on why he'd dragged me home then they'd started the great "Feed Pietro as much food as humanly possible or till he stops looking starved." plan.  
  
World as spread like wild fire and all the younger students had been in and out of here non-stop gawking at me. I think their taking turns or something. Only reason I can come up with for why they keep coming and going a different one each time.  
  
"You know I don't think it's possible but you're actually starting to look less thin." Evan mussed as he slid yet another plate of food in front of me. I'm actually starting to get pretty full but hey free food is free food and it's not like I can't use the calories so I keep eating. "Actually it might be possible. I burn it off in no time flat maybe I can put it on with enough food in the same time." I say between bites.  
  
Evan shakes his head and laughs slightly. "Man your body is freaky."  
  
"You're telling me. I have to live in it!" I wipe my mouth and push the plate away. "Wow. It hasn't happened since the last time we put a all you can at restaurant out of business but I think I'm full." Ms. Monroe smiled fondly at me. "Well you are looking better dear. Maybe you'd like to go upstairs and get some sleep now?" I think for a minute, well a minute my time, so I think for a second then nod. "Yeah I could use some sleep."  
  
Evan gets up and starts to walk towards the door. I get up but pause knowing I can catch with Evan in no time. "Um thanks for all the food and stuff Ms. Monroe." She smiles at me and shoos me toward the door.  
  
I catch up with Evan in a second. It feels so good to be able to move at my speeds easily again.  
  
Evan takes me up the stairs and though halls to a door then gestures. "Ok Speedy make your self at home. Breakfast is at 7. There's a Rec room downstairs and I'm sure you can find everything with your speed in a second so see ya!" Evan walked off leaving me alone.  
  
I open the door and stare. The room is HUGE! It's like the size or the living room at The Brotherhood house! Man these X-Geeks are spoiled! No wonder Rougey left us and never looked back! Tons of food, huge rooms, lots of hot water, everything a person could want. I'm surprised Lance didn't stay that time he joined up. I'm almost tempted too.  
  
I shrug and pull off my t-shirt, or rather Evan's t-shirt and climb into the Queen sized bed. I glance at the clock. 9:01 pm. I only need 3 or so hours of sleep normally so I shouldn't be asleep too long but hey maybe extra sleep will get me back to top shape faster. Not like I got anything better to do anyway.  
  
I lay back and settle down making my self comfortable I start to drift off in minutes.  
  
Maybe things will be better tomarow...  
  



	6. Chapter Six

Thanks to everyone reading this!! I'm glad you're enjoying it! Link to A/N's still in profile!  
  
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Normal POV  
  
Wanda glared at the clock. 6:12 AM  
  
Things were not going as planed and she was not a happy camper.  
  
Wanda looked over at Lance, Freddy, and Toad who'd fallen asleep hours ago.  
  
This wasn't how things were supposed to go! Pietro was supposed to come home last night, they'd grab him, tie and duct tape him up and not let him go till he was normal again! But he didn't come home! Only god knows where he spent the night! He could be hurt, or sick, or worse!  
  
Wanda got up and walked into the kitchen to start the coffee pot. She leaned against the counter staring into space consumed with worry for Pietro.  
  
Her idiot brother should be home by now! It was morning!  
  
Lance walked into the kitchen at the smell of coffee. "Coffee?"  
  
"It'll be done in a second." Wanda told him as he leaned against the counter next to her.  
  
Lance nodded and yawned rubbing his face. "So Tro didn't come home last night?"  
  
"No. He didn't. It's after 6am and he still isn't home." Wanda said softly staring into space.  
  
Lance looked uncomfortable. "Uh well I'm sure he's ok. He uh probably just went to one of his girlfriends or boyfriends places for the night."  
  
Wanda frowned. "You think?"  
  
"Yeah it wouldn't surprise me. He'll probably come home while we're at school." Lance said as he poured a cup of coffee.  
  
"School?! Are you out of your mind?! We're not going to school we have to wait for Pietro so we can catch him!"  
  
Lance sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Wanda we have to go to school. Mystique and your dad want us in school and we already have a ton of absent days we can't afford anymore! We'll get Pietro after school. Ok?"  
  
"Lance...."  
  
"Wanda first do we have any idea when he'll be home? Second how will us getting in trouble with your dad and Mystique help Pietro?" Lance reasoned with her.  
  
Wanda sighed and gulped her coffee. "Fine. I'm going to shower and get dressed you wake the guys up." She walked out of the room leaving Lance alone.  
  
"Great. It's hell getting them up normally now I gotta get them up when they're sleep deprived!" Lance moaned as he went to rouse the others.  
  
Pietro's POV  
  
I moan and shift my head under the blanket as a ray of sun hits my face. Waiteaminute?! Sun?! I'm fully a wake and out of bed in half a heartbeat staring in disbelief at the sun shining cheerily into the room.  
  
"Howthehellisthesunup?! Iwenttobedat9! Itshouldbemidnightrightnow!" I say out loud.  
  
My eyes move to the clock. 6:30 am. My mouth drops open. 91/2?! I was asleep Nine and a half hours?! I've never slept that long in my whole life!  
  
Suddenly a clock on the wall caught my attention. The Second hand isn't moving! Wait! There it goes! It's moving super slow! No! I'm moving fast again! I'm back to normal!  
  
A grin spreads over my face as I zip down stairs and into the kitchen to grab something to eat before I go home and find a way to convince Wanda and the guys that I'm fine.  
  
I'm half inside the fridge grabbing whatever I can get my hands on when someone walks up behind me. "Pietro? What are you doing?"  
  
"Yow!" I jump startled and whack my head on a shelf. I turn and glare at Evan. "What? I'm painting the Sistine Chapel! WhatdoesitlooklikeI'mdoing?! I'meatting!"  
  
Evan rolls his eyes and pulls the food out of my hand then grabs the milk and pours a glass. "Breakfast is in half an hour Speedy."  
  
How dare he take food away from Pietro Maximoff?! "WellI'mhungrynow! Half an hour is like hours and hours to me. And it doesn't help that I'm more hyper then normal since I slept from 9 1/2 hours last night! I'mgonnabebuzzingfordays!" I pull more stuff out of the fridge and keep eating.  
  
"Oh great. Super Hyper Pietro. Just what the world needs. Well at least you're not acting all freaky like last night. And by the way why are you down here eating shirtless?"  
  
I look down. Oops. I run up stairs and back so fast you can't even see me. "Idon'tknowwhatyou'retalkingaboutDaniels. Look. I'm wearing a shirt. Youmustbeseeingthings,man." I give him a cocky smirk and lean against the counter while I eat.  
  
Evan rolls his eyes at me again. "It's on inside out moron." He turns and leaves the room while I turn red and quickly fix my shirt.  
  
Still Pietro's POV  
  
After the first big binge to shut up my stomach I switched to pretty much grazing and had been wandering around the mansion bored out of my mind and debating on staying for breakfast and watching the X-Geeks freak over me being here or just leaving.  
  
In the end the fun of the chaos of X-Geeks freaking out over me being here is just too good to pass up. Plus more food!  
  
I look at a clock and see the time 6:59am. I grin and super speed my way to the kitchen which is already filling with X-Men and New Recruits. "Morning!" I chirp in a sickeningly sweet perky voice.  
  
I grin wider as I see everyone freeze and stare at me like I'm the psycho killer in a slasher movie. "What? Is there something on my shirt?" I ask innocently looking down.  
  
"Pietro! Oh I'm so happy you're still here. Come find a seat make your self at home dear." Ms Monroe said from the stove where she was cooking.  
  
I grin brightly at her and sit down just barely keeping from laughing out loud as everyone else finds seats far away from me.  
  
"So did you have a good sleep dear?" Ms Monroe asks me.  
  
"Yep. Just great. More sleep then I've gotten in my whole life actually."  
  
She turns to me frowning slightly. "You don't sleep well normally?"  
  
"It's my mutation. IonlyneedafewhoursanightifIsleepatall. Sometimes I go a couple weeks without sleeping. It's kinda fun you start seeing weird things it's like being on a weird high. OnceIsawpinkelaphantsdancinginpurpletutus." I tell them all happily. I'm lying of course. I read that you start seeing weird stuff after 5 days without sleep and you're also legally insane. But it's never happened to me no matter how long I don't sleep. But hey why would I tell the truth?  
  
"Well- I- uh- that's very interesting Pietro. Here eat." Ms Monroe looks kinda freaked. Wow I've never seen her looked freaked before. Cool. I happily dig into the food making my self eat a human pace while I watch everyone else watch me.  
  
"So uh- Pietro? Are you like going to be staying here at the mansion?" A I look over at the young boy asking me. I smirk. "Nope. I'm only here cause I didn't feel like arguing with Daniels last night. WellthatandI'mneveronetoturnupfreefood."  
  
I nearly choke when everyone turns on Daniels with glares.  
  
"Nice goin' Daniels." Someone mutters quietly.  
  
I suppress a giggle by stuffing more food in my mouth.  
  
"So you are only here to eat, ja?" The blue furry guy asks me.  
  
"Prettymuchyeah. I was content to sleep on a park bench and wait for everyone to leave for school in the morning but Daniels practically dragged me back here and made me shower and eat then shoved me into a bedroom." I tell him.  
  
"I did no such thing! You were looking like death warmed over and no one would leave you out there looking like that so yeah I made you come back here but I most certainly didn't force you to shower, eat or sleep!" Evan glares at me across the table looking like he'd like to shoot me with one of his spikes.  
  
The other kids stared looking back and forth between us. "Uh so what happened to Pietro that he looked like death?" One girl asks.  
  
I shrug and take a bite of my food. "Just over used my powers a little. I have a insanely fast metabolism and I ran a bit too fast for too long and burned too many calories. No big."  
  
Evan snorts. "Yeah no big. Which is why you were all sweaty, when normally you practically never sweat, you looked like one of those starving kids they show on TV to get you too send money, and you were acting all weird. Yeah it was really nothing." Evan said with sarcasm.  
  
I make a face at him. "Oh sure I'm the weird one! Youweretheonewhowasthreateningtothowmeoveryoursholderandcarrymebackherelikes omecaveman!"  
  
The others are watching open mouthed like their watching a Soap.  
  
"You were starving to death and weren't going home like a sane person! For gods sake if I left you you would have been dead by now!" Evan yelled.  
  
"Iwouldnot! Iwouldhavebeenjustfine! YoustupidX- Geeksalwaysthinkingyouknowwhatsbestforeveryone! Wellyoudon't!" I yell forgetting to slow down to a speed others can understand so I doubt anyone understood a word of what I just said.  
  
"Uh what?" Evan said wrinkling his nose cutely. WHAT?!? I Did NOT just think Evan wrinkling his nose was cute!  
  
"I- uh- I'm out of here! See ya at school or whatever." I zip out of the room and house faster then the eye can see. For them it'd be like I magically disappeared.  
  
Yes still Pietro's POV  
  
Once again I'm running trying to out run my problems and thoughts. This time I make sure to stay safely under my max speed and keep a eye on the time.  
  
God what was up with my thoughts about Evan?! He's my nemesis! My arch enemy! And I was thinking he's cute?!  
  
I shake my head as I come to a stop outside The Brotherhood house. Lance's jeep is gone so everyone must be at school. To be safe I run around the house and run up the side to my room. The first thing I realize is that my rooms been trashed then attempted to be put back together.  
  
Wanda. Must have been Wanda.  
  
I forget that for now and press against my door listening for any sounds of anyone in the house. Nothing. I carefully creep out of my room then go to super speed and search the whole house.  
  
Empty.  
  
Thank God!  
  
I go to the kitchen and start rooting around for a snack. Blech. I'm gonna have to go shopping. Almost nothing in the house.  
  
I run back up to my room and dig around in my night table till I find my wallet and check to make sure the credit card dad gave me is still there. It is. I zip down the stairs out out of the house on my way to the food store.  
  
Half way there I change my mind and run to the school, hot wire Lance's jeep then drive to the food store. It'll be easier to drive all the bags come then carry them.  
  
Normal POV  
  
Wanda almost pounced on Lance when she sees him walking down the hall. "Lance! Have you seen any sign of Pietro?!"  
  
Lance shook his head. "Nope. But that doesn't surprise me much. He ditches all the time. Maybe he'll show up around lunch time."  
  
"Like, hey. Are you talking about Pietro?" Kitty asked as she was walking by Lance and Wanda.  
  
Wanda glared. "Yes not that it's any of your business!"  
  
"Oh ok. Like, I was just wondering how he's doing after how weird he was acting at breakfast this morning." Kitty told them.  
  
"WHAT?!?" Wanda shrieked. The other students had enough sense to ignore her and keep going or risk death.  
  
"Wait, wait Kitty are you saying Pietro was at the mansion this morning?!" Lance asked keeping his voice low.  
  
"Umm yeah you didn't know? He, like, slept over last night and stayed for breakfast at least until he and Evan started fighting like a married couple!" Kitty said giggling.  
  
"What was my brother doing at your mansion?" Wanda hissed more then asked.  
  
"Umm well from what I was able to pick out from what they were talking about Pietro, like, over used his powers or something and got really skinny and sweaty and Evan found him in the park and thought he was, like, dying and dragged him to The Institute to feed him and stuff. And I think there was something about cavemen and elephants in tutu's but I'm not sure it's hard to under stand Pietro when he talks really fast." Kitty said with a laugh.  
  
"Where is he?" Wanda growled.  
  
"Umm last I saw he was, like, running at Quicksilver speed out of the mansion so he could be, like, anywhere. I thought he'd gone home to you guys or whatever."  
  
Wanda stalked off cursing and looking homicidal. Lance cringed. She was going to be even less fun to live with now! "Uh thanks for the info Kitty."  
  
"Oh um sure! No prob! So uh what's going on? Why's Wanda more crazy then normal?"  
  
"Uh well we think somethings wrong with Pietro. We noticed that lately he's been...well slow. You know walking not running, talking at a human speed when he talks at all, not dating, he's almost always locked in his room, and just been generally weird. We're worried about him. And when we tried to confront him last night well he told this whole story about breaking up with a girlfriend and well we thought it sounded pretty true and he was crying and everything but Wanda said he was lying. One of those twin things I guess. And when she told him she knew he was lying he freaked and jumped out his window and that;s the last we saw of him." Lance said in a rush to get it all out.  
  
Kitty stared wide eyed. "Like, oh my god! I had no idea! Pietro's seemed totally normal this morning though. He was all speeding and annoying and everything. Huh though the guys who saw him last night said he did look tired. And he said he slept more last night then like ever before. Like 9 hours I think it was."  
  
Lance's mouth dropped open. "You're kidding! Pietro doesn't sleep! I mean he's always up! If he ever sleeps it's only a few hours!"  
  
Kitty shrugged. "That's just what I heard. Look I'm sorry but I gotta get to class. I hope everything works out ok with Pietro! Good luck!" Kitty stood on her toes and kissed him on the cheek before running off just as the bell rang.  
  
Lance blinked as he held his hand to his cheek where she kissed him then grinned.  
  
Pietro's POV  
  
I run my hands though my hair sighing loudly as I have to stop yet again because of how crowded the food store was.  
  
Who'd of thought that 8:30 in the morning would be a busy time?!?  
  
I look down in the shopping cart I'm pushing and re-check all the things I have so far making sure I haven't missed anything really important.  
  
Salad lots of salad, bananas, apples, carrots, celery, Cheerios, Capitan Crunch, Frosted Flakes, Lucky Charms, bread, crackers, tuna fish, Mt. Dew, Jolt, Coke, Sprite, chips, dip, canned soup, rice, mashed potato's, skinless boneless chicken, hot dogs, ground beef, ground Turkey, orange juice, yogurt, milk... Milk. Evan drinks milk. He was drinking milk this morning at breakfast and he had the cutest milk mustache that I just walked to lick off... Stop! No thinking weird thoughts about Evan Daniels! ARGH! Where was I? Ok milk, cookie dough, chocolate, vanilla, Espresso Chip, cookies and cream, Death By Chocolate, ok yeah I think I got enough ice cream. Toilet paper, tissues, paper towels, bleach, ammonia, dish washing liquid, antibacterial soap, furniture polish, Windex. Hmm looks like I got everything we need for now at least.  
  
The lines moving. Finely! I push the cart though grabbing a Coke from the fridge thing next to the check out counter as I start putting my stuff up.  
  
I drink my soda as the girl rings up my stuff flirting with me the whole time. "So wow you sure got a lot of stuff huh? Having a party or something?"  
  
"No just doing the shopping for my...family." I say lamely.  
  
"Oh wow that's really sweet of you! You're mom must totally love you doing this for her!" The girl looks like she'd like to jump over the counter and kiss me.  
  
"Uh yeah I guess." What's wrong with me? There's nothing wrong with her! She's cute! I should have her phone number by now and be making plans to get her into bed! So why am I just standing here?!  
  
"So um well I know this is really forward and I don't normally do this but...would you like to go out sometime?" Knew she wanted me.  
  
"Sure. I'd uh love too." Oh wow don't I sound eager. Could I be any less enthusiastic?!  
  
She gives me a thousand watt smile and grabs my hand and scribbles her number and name on it. "Call me. Ok and you're total is $305.30. How will you be paying??  
  
I reach for my wallet and pull out my credit card. "Charge it."  
  
"Eric Magnus Lensherr? Cute name." She says while she does her thing with the card. I don't bother to tell her it's my fathers name not mine. Not like I'm actually going to call her or anything.  
  
"Here you go. Thanks for shopping Wal-mart! Have a nice day!" I take my card back and put it back in my wallet and paste on a flirting smile. it works. She giggles as I stuff the receipt in my pocket and push my almost over flowing cart out of the store.  
  
I use my speed to load the bags in the jeep then take look at the name and number scribbled on my hand. /Mandy. 555-0310. Call me!/ Not likely. But why not likely?! Why the hell is Daniels stuck in my head and why am I turning down hot girls?!  
  
I shake my head trying to shake lose the thoughts then speed out of the parking lot and back to the house.  
  



	7. Chapter Seven

Thanks tons to all my reviewers and sorry for the long wait! As always the link to my A/Ns is in my profile!!  
  
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Pietro's POV  
  
I flip though the channels so fast no one else can see. "Nothing. GahDadpayswhoknowshowmuchforcableandnothing'severon!" I complain out loud to the empty room.  
  
Ok I forgot about this part of my powers being back. The non-stop boredom! I'm actually tempted to go to school just to see if it'd be less boring then this!  
  
After flipping for a second longer I give up and turn the TV off. I look around at the empty house and sigh. It's easier being bored when there's people around you can annoy.  
  
I start pacing around the house and finely get bored enough that I break out the cleaning supplies and start cleaning.  
  
By the time I finish the house is spotless. The floors are vacuumed and the hard wood floors are polished, the furniture is all vacuumed and dusted and polished, the windows are spotless, the kitchen is so clean you could preform surgery in it, I even braved Freddy and Toad's rooms and cleaned them.  
  
By going slow I'd managed to kill a whole hour.  
  
I sigh in annoyance and tap my fingers rapidly on a table. "Okokthere'sgottabesomethingtodoaroundhere!!" I look out the window and grin. The crappy yard! I can work on the crappy yard!  
  
I head outside and start to work on our yard. I mow, I rake, I trim, I prune, I do every possible thing to the yard. After another hour is looks slightly better and now I'm hungry. I put away all the yard and cleaning stuff then head out to find a fast food place and traumatize the workers with my order.  
  
Normal POV  
  
Wanda stared at the clock and wondered where her brother was. Why had he gone to The X-Men and not his family?! Was he really as sick as Kitty said Evan said he was? Would he be there when they got home?  
  
"Miss Maximoff! Are you paying any attention at all to this lesson?" The teacher suddenly snapped.  
  
"Of course!" Wanda snapped right back at her.  
  
"Then you'll have no problem answering the question?"  
  
"Uh. 20?" Wanda ventured.  
  
The class burst out laughing. The teacher rolled her eyes. "This is History Miss Maximoff. I'll thank you to kindly pay attention in the future young lady! Detention after school for not day dreaming in class!" The teacher stalked away while Wanda struggled to control her rage and not kill the woman on the spot.  
  
A few minutes later the bell rang and the class filed out.  
  
Wanda snarled curses under her breath as she violently shoved her books into her locker.  
  
"Uh Wanda? Are ya ok?" Wanda spun around at the voice.  
  
Rogue stood behind her giving her a concerned look.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well Ah saw ya slamin' ya books and ya looked pretty pissed off and I was just wonderin' if ya were alright."  
  
Wanda took a deep breath and tried to calm her self. "I just got detention after school, I have no idea where my brother is, I know something is wrong with him but not what, I'm worried about the idiot even though I'm still pissed at him, and I don't know if I'm going to be able to fix him! So no I'm not alright!"  
  
"Pietro? What's wrong with Pietro?" Rogue asked worriedly.  
  
"He...he's been not him self. He's walking not running, he's hiding in his room, he's not dating, he's just been weird! And He's lying to us! We cornered him in his room yesterday and he gave us this stupid story about breaking up with a girl friend. So lame. Then when I told him I knew he was lying he jumped out the window! We haven't seen him since then. Damn it! I don't know whats wrong with him but I want my brother back! I want that speedy, annoying, perky pest! Not this stranger with his face!" Wanda slammed her fist into her locker growling.  
  
"Wow. Well if it make ya feel any better Pietro looked fine at breakfast this morning. Yeah he was babblin' about Elephants in tutu's or somethin' but the boy's always been a little less then sane." At Wanda's look she held up her hands. "Hey Ah lived with him for awhile Ah know what Ah'm talkin' 'bout! He's always been weird. All of them are. One of the reasons Ah nevea fit in well with 'em. I'm no where near as loopy as they are." Rogue said with a smirk.  
  
"Yeah I guess they are pretty insane when you put it that way..."  
  
"Yep. So don't worry Ah'm sure Pietro is fine. He'll probably be at home when school's out." Rogue said slightly uncomfortable with the role of trying to cheer someone up.  
  
"That's what everyone keeps saying. I don't know...maybe it's my fault. I kept pushing him and cornered him and he ran. Maybe if I did something different he'd be here right now ok." Wanda said softly sounding pained.  
  
"Wanda don't think like that! Ah'm sure you did what ya thought was right at the time! You were tryin' ta help him. And well yah maybe ya went with the wrong method. Pietro doesn't do closed places well. That might be parta the problem with how ya were goin'. He's the speed demon. Being in one place for too long, and for him too long is a lot shorter then for us, drives him up the wall. That's probably part of the reason he freaked and ran." Rogue told her.  
  
Wanda frowned and looked at Rogue. "How do you know so much about my brother?"  
  
"We were kinda close while Ah was living' there...we talked an' stuff." Rogue said vaguely.  
  
Wanda frowned but let it go. "Thank you for trying to help." Wanda let out a short bark of laughter. "I can't believe how much I'm saying that lately. All this is just getting to me I guess."  
  
"Aw it's no problem. Ah gotta get ta lunch but if ya need ta talk Ah'm here ok?" Rogue told her.  
  
Wanda gave her a small smile. "Thanks. I might take you up on that some time. I gotta get to lunch too anyway."  
  
They both went off and split up to their own groups.  
  
Pietro's POV  
  
I'd succeeded in my attempt to traumatize fast food workers. It amused me for a while and got rid of my hunger.  
  
I check out the time and see it's about lunch time at school. "Hmmm the guys can't exactly pounce on me in the middle of the lunch room and Icanannoythehelloutofthematthesametime. Goodplan!" As soon as I'm done talking I'm already stepping inside the cafeteria.  
  
I grab a tray of food then plop down at the table with the guys smiling cheerfully at them. "Hey guys! Lovely day we're having huh?"  
  
"PIETRO?!?" They yelped together.  
  
"That'smyname. Somethingwrong? You're all staring at me." I ask in my innocent voice and give them a confused look.  
  
"Where the hell have you been?! We know you were with the X-Geeks but where did you go after you left?! Every one's said they haven't seen you since this morning! And were you really as sick as they were saying you were?!" Wanda asked pinning me with a death glare.  
  
I grin not bothered at all. I'm feeling too good right now to be bothered by her glares. Plus I know now that she loves me so I know she won't actually kill me! "Ohyouknowhere,there. Went home you guys were gone already, hung out for a while nothing was on TV went shopping, got a hot girls number, made some fast food workers cry then decided toseehowyouguyswere!" I tell them brightly as I stuff my face.  
  
Wanda keeps glaring. "You didn't answer my other question! Were you sick?!"  
  
"No I wasn't sick. I was tired and sweaty but I was fine. Evan saw me in the park and freaked and practically kidnapped me and dragged me back to the mansion. And since I was there I took the chance to mooch free food and use the shower and the freakin' huge bed rooms. Then after I slept I grazed on some food for half an hour or so till breakfast then amused my self by freaking out the X-Geeks with perkiness and saying weird stuff about hallucinating after not sleeping for weeks. And then there was the fun of getting Daniels in trouble with the other X-Geeks for bringing me back there. Ohmanyoushouldhaveseentheglares!"  
  
"Kitty said you were fighting with Evan like a married couple." Wanda said narrowing her eyes at me.  
  
I blink rapidly. "What?! Wearenotamarriedcouple! He'smyarchenemy! Idonotthinkhe'scuteatall!"  
  
"What? Pietro we can't understand you when you talk that fast!" Lance complains frowning at me.  
  
Crap! Stupid mouth going even faster then my brain! I might as well have said I've been thinking about Evan all day! "I said we weren't fighting like a married couple we just were fighting like we always do. You know stupid X-Geeks thinking they know what's best for everyone." I say hoping my lying skills are back along with my speed.  
  
Wanda's frowning at me again. "Kitty said Evan said you were dying when he found you."  
  
I roll my eyes. "Oh for gods sake! Iwasnotdying! Do I look like someone who was on my death bed last night?!" I gesture wildly at my self.  
  
"Well you don't look at thin as you were yesterday after school. But that's with the weird clothes, yo?" Toad asked pointing.  
  
I look down and blanch. I'd forgotten I'm still wearing the clothes Evan lent me last night. I'd been walking around all day in Evan's shorts and sports jersey and hadn't realized it. "Uh Evan loaned me some stuff last night when I showered I forgot to change when I got home."  
  
Wanda is giving me a strange look. "You're wearing Evan Daniels clothes? I thought you hated him?"  
  
"I do! But I was all sweaty and gross and I didn't have any clothes with me! What was I supposed to do streak?!" I defend my self.  
  
Wanda shakes her head still looking at me weirdly then sighed. "I don't think I'll ever understand you. You've been strange and well you know how you've been for a while now and suddenly now you're all perky and sunny and annoying and normal. It just doesn't make sense."  
  
"You're never happy are ya, sis? I'm my self you're pissed off and want to kill me, I avoid you and don't act like my self and suddenly you're breathing down my neck demanding answers, I'm my self again and you're still demanding answers! What do I have to do to make you happy?!" I rant glowering at my twin.  
  
Wanda looks startled. "I- uh-"  
  
I sigh and rub my face. "Look I'm sorry for yelling but I just don't know what you guys want from me! First you hate me so I stay away, then suddenly you won't leave me alone and are demanding to know whats wrong with me then when I act like my self again you're still freaking. Can't you just make up your mind? Please?" I ask getting some what desperate at this point.  
  
"Look Pietro, man, we just wanted to know why you were acting so weird and to fix whatevers wrong. So if you're all happy again that means what ever was wrong is fixed right? So we can all just forget this ok! Good! Now everyone eat!" Lance order before stuffing his own food in his mouth.  
  
I smirk slightly at that. No matter what my father says Lance will always be the boss. He'll always be the one to give orders and wake everyone up and make sure everyone gets to school in the mornings. I pretend like I'm in charge. When father first put me in charge I came bursting in giving orders and bossing them around. But really I knew I'd never really be in charge. Hell when push comes to shove I look to Lance to make the choices. He's the adult in our little group.  
  
We all start eating again though Wanda keeps shooting me looks.  
  
I finish before the others of course and jump up. Before the others can blink I'm gone and a few seconds later am back changed into my own clothes with Evan's washed, dried and folded neatly. Super speed made laundry much faster even if you have to do it by hand.  
  
"I'm going to give these back to Daniels then take off. See ya guys at home!" I run over to the X-Geeks table and drop Evan's clothes in his lap. "Thanks for the loaner Spykey boy."  
  
"Maximoff! What were you doing with Evan's clothes?!" Scott barked at me.  
  
"Wow Kitty. You managed to tell all my friends but you can't managed to tell your friends about last night? I'mdisapointedinyouKittycat. Thoughtyourgossipingskillswerebetterthenthat." I say sarcastically at Kitty.  
  
"What are you talking about? What is he talking about?!" Scott says to me then Kitty.  
  
"Oh um well Pietro kinda, like, slept over. Evan, like, well dragged him home with him when he found Pietro in the park, like, sick." Kitty explained. Explained badly that is.  
  
"I was not sick! Iwastiredisall! Haven'tyoupeopleeverheardoftired?!" I complain glaring at Kitty.  
  
"Yeah right dude. You were, like, on your death bed, man! You looked like crap and you weighed less then Kitty!" Evan snorted rolling his eyes. How dare he!  
  
Red was now studying me closely and I glared at her. If you can hear this you are in restricted space! Stay out of my head!! She jerked back eyes wide. Crap. She must have seen already. Crap, crap, crap, CRAP, CRAP! Like I don't have enough problems with the guys and Evan thinking they know something now I'm gonna have Red knowing what's going on with me! Just freaking great!  
  
"Pietro was sick? What was wrong with him? He looks fine now." Scott was still talking to Evan about me.  
  
"He says he just over used his powers but I don't know. I've never, ever seen him look that tired or thin or weak. It was scary man! And Freaky! And he just like started gaining weight when Aunty O fed him! It was like some kind of comic book or something."  
  
"I did just over use my powers. HowmanytimesdoIhavetosaythat?! Irantoofast,toolongandburnedtoomany calories. As soon as I ate I was fine. Nowbackoff!" I shoot Red a warning look and race off knowing that there's nothing I can do. If she's gonna tell she's gonna tell. All I can do is get out of dodge.  
  
I don't want to sit alone bored at home so I figure what the hell and stay at school going to class. Still boring as hell but at least I'm not alone.  
  



	8. Chapter Eight

Ok its that time again! A new chapter! And Thank you SO much to my reviewers!! All of you are just great! (I'm SUCH a review whore!!) Sorry for the long wait! As always my A/N and muse argueing can be found at the link in my profile.  
  
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Pietro's POV  
  
Gym. Oh yay. Note my sarcasm. Oh and we're running laps today. Joy of joys. At least with running laps I can get a bit of entertainment by superspeeding around in between laps so fast that no one notices I'm doing anything but running regular laps. It helps with the boredom a little.  
  
I'm not even breaking a sweat but apparently this is actually hard for non me people since everyone else is dripping.  
  
"Ok drop and give me 20!" The coach yells. We all drop pretty much everyone with groans. I force my self to go slow since I've learned the hard way that if I super speed my way though I get yelled at for not doing it and have to do another 20 slowly anyway.  
  
"Back up and running!" We all jump to our feet and start running again.  
  
With my mutation what is painfully long to the others seems like years to me. And I'm not even a tiny bit tired yet!  
  
"Alright hit the showers!" It's over! Finely! Even though I'm not even slightly damp I shower and change.  
  
I leave the locker room at slightly less then my normal speed glad to be free and cursing my self for thinking staying in school was a good idea.  
  
"Pietro! Wait a minute! I have to talk to you!" I groan as Jean calls out to me running to catch up as I stop.  
  
"What do you want Red?" I ask glaring at her as she stops at my side.  
  
"Uh maybe we should talk some where a little more privet? We really have to talk and I don't think you want the whole school hearing this." She whispers grabbing my arm and half dragging me into a empty class room.  
  
"All right all right we're alone nowwhatdoyouwant?!" I growl yanking my arm out of her grip. I'm really starting to get annoyed with X-Geeks physically dragging me places.  
  
"You know what we have to talk about! I know what's be going on with you Pietro! You need help!" Ugh. This is really annoying.  
  
"Look Red I don't know what you think you know but I don't need any help!" I insist hoping maybe I was wrong about her knowing.  
  
"Pietro you've been cutting your self! It's not healthy! You could do permanent damage, accidentally cut a nerve, accidentally cut too deep and bleed to death and a thousand other things! You need to get some help about this!" She insists.  
  
I sigh and rub my face. "Look Red if you've been in my head then you know I'm not cutting any more and I'm totally recovered from when I was cutting. SoIdon'tneedanyhelp! Nowleavemealone!" I turn to towards the door and find my self suddenly floating in midair.  
  
"I'm sorry but I can't let you just leave! This is serious Pietro! You have to have major issues to start cutting and they don't just disappear over night! You need to see a doctor or a counselor. I can talk to The Professor. He can help you Pietro." Jean keeps on insisting. God I want to hit her.  
  
I cross my arms over my chest and glare at her. "I'm fine. I don't need any help and I'm not talking to anyone! Now will you just go back to your X- Freaks andleavemethehellalone?!" I yell at her.  
  
Jean shakes her head. "I can't do that! No matter what you say you need help. I know we're not friends but I'm worried about you. I know what you've been going though and you have to talk about it. You can't just let things fester you'll just end up hurting your self again! If you won't talk to a doctor or The Professor at least talk to me. Maybe I can help at least a little."  
  
"Fine! If it'll get you off my back I'll talk to you! I'll call ya later and make an appointment ok? Put me down already!" I tell her rolling my eyes.  
  
"Oh yeah like I'm going to buy that! I put you down and you'll run off and never get the help you need! We're going back to the mansion right now!" I stare at her in disbelief.  
  
"There's a couple more hours of school!" I say quickly hoping to keep from being dragged to the Institute for the second time in two days.  
  
"Well then we'll just have to ditch. Not like it'll be a first time for you will it?" She says looking at me in amusement as she peeks out the door then walks out with me floating behind her though the empty halls.  
  
"You're going to ditch?! Jean Gray Miss Perfect straight A's is going to ditch school?!" I yelp gawking at her.  
  
"I can handle a few hours of ditching for the sake of your health." I stare at her in disbelief.  
  
She glances over her shoulder and grins. "Shut your mouth before something flies in there." My mouth slams shut but I keeps staring at her. Jean Gray skipping school. Will wonders never cease?!  
  
Its not that big a deal you know. It won't be the end of the world for me to miss a few classes if it helps me save your life. I snarl and glare when I hear her in my head. 'Stay the hell out of my head!'  
  
Jean sighs and rubs her temples. "Pietro I'm trying to help you here. The least you can do is be a bit more grateful!"  
  
Grateful?! Grateful?! I'm supposed to be grateful that I'm being kidnapped?! Oh hell this little mind reader is going to pay! I smirk evilly as I begin to sing loudly in my thoughts. 'THIS IS THE SONG THAT DOESN'T END! YES IT GOES ON AND ON MY FRIEND! SOME PEOPLE STARTED SINGING IT NOT KNOWING WHAT IT WAS AND THEY'LL CONTINUE SINGING IT FOREVER JUST BECAUSE THIS IS THE SONG THAT DOESN'T END! YES IT GOES ON AND ON MY FRIEND! SOME PEOPLE STARTED SINGING IT NOT KNOWING WHAT IT WAS AND THEY'LL CONTINUE SINGING IT FOREVER JUST BECAUSE...' I grin when she visibly cringes and holds her head. I keep projecting at her singing as loud as my thoughts will go determined to make her as miserable as I am if she's going to make me go though with this.  
  
"Ugh. Pietro please!" Jean moans as she loses concentration and drops me.  
  
"Sorry Jeany but you mess with the best and you pay!" Before I can run off suddenly she has me again and before I can start my up singing again everything goes black.  
  
Normal POV  
  
Jean shook her head rubbing her temples. "Ok note to self. Next time knock Pietro out FIRST before trying to take him home. Much easier."  
  
Jean picked him up with her powers again and started walking towards the Institute again.  
  
Jean walked into the institute and started up the stairs when The Professor spoke to her in her head Jean? What are you doing home from school so early? And why is Pietro with you?  
  
Jean cringed. "Ok I'm deeply stupid." Uh well you see it's a really, really long story but the short version is Pietro is in trouble and needs help so I'm sort of planing a one woman intervention.  
  
Jean I expect the full story later and hope you know what you are doing. If you find you've gotten in over your head do not hesitate to ask for help if something is serious.  
  
Jean was shocked that The Professor was actually letting her so this. I will. I mean if I need help I'll ask for it right away! She said quickly as she started up the stairs again wanting to get Pietro up there before he woke up.  
  
Pietro's POV  
  
Owwww. Ugh. I feel like I got run over by a truck! What the hell hit me?! I try to move my arm to rub my face and freeze when my arm won't move. "WHATTHEHELLISGOINGONHERE?! WHYCAN'TIMOVE?!" I screech suddenly fully awake at the realization that I can't move.  
  
"I duct taped you to the chair. Couldn't risk you running away. And can you take the volume down a few pegs?" I gawk at Jean in shock. Not only did she kidnap me she knocked me out and duct taped me to a chair!! She's gone insane!!  
  
"I'm not insane Pietro I'm just trying to help you. Now why don't you tell me about your feelings?" Jean asks me crossing her legs as she sits on the end of her bed.  
  
"You know I've lived with terrifying people. The Brotherhood, my father, my sister, Pyro, the other Acolytes. But you beat out all of them." I tell her.  
  
I can see her annoyance growing. The part of me not marveling at her insanity is amused.  
  
"Pietro! No! No ok I know what you're doing. I won't let you distract me Pietro. You need help and you're going to get whither you like it or not."  
  
I narrow my eyes at her. "You'll never take me alive! Mwhahahahahaha!!"  
  
Jean moaned and held her head. "Ok I'm going to go get some aspirin. We'll try this again when I get back." She gets up and leaves the room closing the door after her.  
  
I wait what I think is a good amount of time, but being I'm me it's probably only 5 seconds after she left the room, then start screaming my head off. "HELP! FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THATS HOLY SOMEONE HELP ME!!!"  
  
I pause and wait to see if anyone comes. Nothing. Ok try again! "HELP!!! SOMEBODY HELP ME!!! I'VE BEEN KIDNAPPED BY A INSANE PSYCHO RED HEAD!!! SAVE ME!!!"  
  
After a few seconds the door slowly opens and a head pokes in "Maximoff? What the hell are you doing here?!" Oh great. Someone comes and it's Daniels! ARGH! Well at least it's someone!  
  
"Stop gawking and get this duct tape off me before she comes back! God only knows what unholy things she has planed for me!" I rant glaring at Evan.  
  
Evan raises an eyebrow but steps into the room, pops out a spike and uses it to cut me lose. "Ok so now tell me what are you doing here?"  
  
"Not here!" As soon as I'm lose I jump up and grabbed Evan pulling him with me not stopping till we're a few miles away from The X-Mansion.  
  
"PIETRO! Jeez! What the hell was that?!" Evan gasps once we stop and I let him go.  
  
"Oh what are you complaining about?! I didn't even go that fast! We didn't even break the sound barrier! We should be safe the the Psycho Red head here."  
  
Evan stares at me shaking his head. "Dude you are messed up! 'Didn't even break the sound barrier?!? And will you just tell me why Jean kidnapped you already?!"  
  
"I was just walking along the hallway minding my own business when she grabbed me and dragged me into a classroom then she started to drag me off to the mansion but I gave her a major headache with 'The Song The Doesn't End' so she knocked me out and when I woke up i was at the mansion duct taped to the chair! And.. hey! Waitaminute! What were you doing at the mansion?! You're ditching! First her now you?! What is going on with you X- Geeks?!" I yell pacing back and forth in front of Evan.  
  
"Uh Pietro school got out about 20 minutes ago. And why would Jean want to ditch school to kidnap You?" Evan asked giving me a strange look.  
  
"Iwasouthatlong?! WhatthefreakinghelldidsheDOtome?!" I yell feeling really annoyed.  
  
Evan rolls his eyes and crosses his arms. "Oh calm down. Not like she had her wicked way with you or anything. Now tell me why she kidnapped you! Miss Perfect Jean Gray has to have had a damn good reason to ditch school and kidnap someone!"  
  
"How the heck would I know?! She's psycho! Atotalnutjob! Sheshouldbelockedup!" I rant.  
  
Evan snorted. "I think you're confusing her with you. Now where the hell are we and how to I get home?"  
  
"Huh? Oh we're a few miles, just five or six, from The Institute." I say casually as I lean against a tree.  
  
"FIVE OR SIX MILES?! How the hell did we get five or six miles away in 10 seconds?!" Evan screeches at me. Heh. he's cute when he's freaking out. DAMN IT! No he is not! He's NOT cute!  
  
"Well I told you I was going slow. If I went much faster we might have made it out of state in that amount of time. Of course carrying yourfatassslowedmedownabit." I tell him cheerfully.  
  
Evan looks ready to hit me. Just incase I get ready to dodge. "Get me back to the institute NOW or I will not be held responsible for what I do to you!"  
  
A smirk crosses my face. "Oooooh is wittle Spykey all angry? Whatyagonnado? Impale me?" I ask pushing back bad, bad, BAD thoughts at my word choice.  
  
He looks even more pissed now and I can see spykes starting to poke out of his skin. "Maximoff if I'm not back at the Institute in 10 seconds you are going to be shishcabob!"  
  
I laugh, roll my eyes then grab him and have him back at the gates of the Institute before he can blink. "HappynowSpykey?"  
  
Evan grabs onto the gate looking like he's going to hurl. "Dude. How the hell do you do that every day all day?!"  
  
"I'm built for speed! And it wasn't even that fast! I mean If I really wanted to I could have taken you to Disney World in just seconds longer then it took to get here!" I brag. Ok I'm lying. It'd be more like a minute. Maybe two.  
  
"Maximoff man you're bleeding!" Evan yells suddenly pointing at my arm. I glance down at the row of deep holes that are already starting to close. "Well duuuuuh! You ARE totally covered in sharp pieces of bone ya know!" I tell him rolling my eyes.  
  
"Stop being such a jerk and get inside before you bleed to death!" Evan growls glaring at me. Awww how sweet! He cares! He doesn't want me to die! He loves me! And I did NOT just think that!  
  
"It's fine. Already healing. It'll be gone before I'm even home." I say dismissing the wounds.  
  
Evan looks startled at the wounds being almost healed already. "Whoa. That's a handy thing man."  
  
"Yeah. Well thanks for the save from the psycho psychic! See ya!" I race off before he can reply.  
  



	9. Chapter Nine

Ok here's the start of Chapter Nine! I'm starting this...oooh about two days after I posted part eight. And once again Thank you SOOO much for the reviews! They are like crack to me! Hopefully this part will get written faster then the last part! I know how sucky it is having long waits for chapters!

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Normal POV

Wanda paced up and down the living room. The others sat on the couch and chairs around the room and followed her with their eyes like watching a tennis match.

"Where is he?! Are you sure none of you saw him at school!?" Wanda said stopping and glaring at each of them.

Lance sighed and rubbed her temples. "Wanda we've been over this! The last time any of us saw him was at lunch! He probably ditched again. He does it all the time."

"Then where is he?! Why isn't he here?!" Wanda yelled.

"He's probably at the mall picking up girls or guys or something. Or making more fast food workers cry. Or any number of the billion hobbies he has! Why don't we just give this up. He's only going to keep running if we keep cornering him and he seems fine now!" Lance told her.

"He's my brother! He's my twin! I have the right to know what's been going on with him!" Wanda yelled pacing again.

The others moaned and sunk lower in their seats. This was NOT going to be fun!

Just then the front door slammed open and closed and a breeze blew by and up the stairs.

Wanda stormed up the stairs after Pietro. "PIETRO! I want to talk to you!"

Pietro's door opened and he leaned against the door frame raising a eye brow in question as Wanda hit the top of the stairs and stalked towards his room. "Yes sister dear? Something I can do for you?"

Wanda shoved Pietro into his room and onto his bed then slammed the door and stood over him. "I want to know what's been going on with you! Where have you been?! None of us have seen you since lunch! I'm your sister and I have a right to know these things!"

Pietro rolled his eyes and leaned back on his elbows on the bed. "Well as for where I've been I was in class for most of the afternoon then Jean kidnapped me and duct taped me up after knocking me out for hours. I barely escaped with my life! Who knows what sick dastardly things she wanted to do with my body!"

Wanda froze and blinked slowly at her brother. "Wait. Are you telling me first last night Evan kidnapped you then today Jean kidnapped you?! What the Hell is going on?!"

Pietro shrugged and looked up at her innocently. "I don't know. Everybody wants me!"

Wanda started pacing in front of Pietro's bed. "There has got to be more to it then that! The X-Men just don't go around kidnapping people! There has got to be a reason why two of them would kidnapped you in as many days!"

Pietro suppressed a smirk. So Wanda was now obsessing about X-Men plots but she'd totally forgotten about making him let why he'd been acting weird.

Wanda reached down and pulled him to his feet. "Come on. We've got to tell the others. This could be major. Maybe they're trying to recruit you. Or they could come after us next!"

Pietro just walked mutely behind her as she half dragged him downstairs and into the living room.

"Guys! We have an emergency! The X-Men are up to something! They keep kidnapping Pietro! We could be next!" Wanda said as she pushed Pietro down into a chair.

"Huh?" The others replyed staring at Wanda.

"The X-Geeks keep kidnapping me. Wanda thinks it's an evil plot of some kind." Pietro explained.

Freddy scratched his head and looked confused. "I thought WE were the evil ones?"

"Ok then a GOOD plan. Ok?" Pietro snorted rolling his eyes.

Todd's eyes got wide. "Yo! That's why Pietro's been acting freaky! Those X-Geeks have been messing with his mind! They're tryin' to make him into one of them, yo! They're worse then the Borg!"

Pietro latched onto this idea and nodded rapidly. "Yeahyeahyeah! That's it! Those bastards!" Inside he was rolling on the floor clutching his sides laughing. This was better then anything he could have planed! His friends natural paranoia had come up with a perfect alibi for his weird behavior!

"We can't let them get away with this! They must pay! No body messes with our Pietro but us!" Wanda snarled pacing rapidly back and forth across the room.

"And this ain't the first time they've tried this, yo! They tried to get Freddy with Jean pretending to like him and they actually got Lance for a few days! Now the X-Geeks are tryin' to get 'Tro!" Todd yelled.

"They didn't GET me! I joined for Kitty but they hated me and treated me like a criminal so I left!" Lance grumbled glaring at Todd.

Todd waved a hand. "You just managed to some how break away from their mind control! We gotta stop those Jerks before they have us all running around being X-Losers with them!"

"Todd's right! We have to find a way to stop them! What can we do?!" Wanda growled pacing.

"Bucket Head!" Freddy suddenly yelled.

Everyone stopped and turned and looked at him. "Uh what Freddy?"

"Bucket Head! You're dad wears that dumb hat thing to keep The Professor from lookin' in his head! We need to get some of those bucket things!" Freddy said excitedly.

"You know I never thought I'd say this but Freddy's got a good idea! We need to find out how Magneto's bucket hat thing works and get us some!" Lance declared.

Wanda suddenly turned sharply and ran up the stairs. Everyone looked after her then at each other. "Any idea what that was about?" Lance asked.

Every one shrugged and waited to see if she'd come back.

Seconds later Wanda came running back holding a cell phone. Pietro's cell phone. "Ok Pietro which number is fathers?" She asked while trying to figure out how to turn the phone on.

"Uhhh.....where'd you find that? It's supposed to be hidden!" Pietro yelped jumping up and grabbing the phone from her in a blur.

Wanda rolled her eyes and yanked the phone back. "Oh please. Hiding it under your mattress! Everybody knows to look there first! No tell me how to turn this thing on and call father!"

Pietro glared and yanked the phone back yet again. "I'm not supposed to call unless it's an emergency!"

Wanda grabbed the phone back then hexed him into the wall. "I'd say the X-Geeks mind controlling us is an emergency if anything is! Now tell me!"

Pietro rubbed the back of his head glaring at Wanda as he climbed to his feet. "Can't you feel the love in the room?" He said with sarcasm. "Fine, fine. Push and hold the button that says 'Power' at the top, then scroll with the arrow button till you see the number listed 'Father'. But don't be surprised if father threatens to skin you." Pietro warned as he flopped down into a chair.

Wanda regressed for a moment and stuck her tongue out at Pietro while she turned the phone on and searched for her fathers number.

"What is it Pietro?! This had better be important! You know I've told you not to call here unless it's dire!" Magneto answered her phone sounding annoyed.

"Daddy? It's Wanda. And it is important! The X-Men keep kidnapping Pietro and we think they're going to come after the rest of us next! We need to know how your helmet thingy works so Jean and The Professor can't brainwash us!" Wanda yelled.

Magneto sat behind his desk slowly blinking trying to digest what his dagger had just said to him. "Wanda? Your brother has been captured by The X-Men?!"

"Well they kidnapped him twice but he escaped both times. First it was Evan then Jean. And we also think they've been doing thinks to his mind for weeks now! He's been acting really strange lately! You have to help us, Daddy! Before they get to all of us and next thing you know we're all running around in spandex saving people!" Wanda told Magneto.

Magneto frowned. Kidnapping was not Charles style at all. "Wanda? Is Pietro there? Put him on."

"Father? Heyhow'sisgoing?!What'sup?!" Pietro asked rapidly.

"What's this your sister is telling me you were kidnapped twice? And what's this about Charles and Jean controlling your mind?" Magneto growled at his son.

"Uhh well last night I was just minding my own business in the park when Ev-err Daniels practically throws me over his shoulder and drags be back to the Institute so since I'm already there I take the change to mooch some free food and stuff. Uh thenthis afternoonatschoolJeanknockedmeoutwithherpowersandwhenIwokeupIwasducttapedtoachair. Ibarelyescapedalive! Lordonlyknowswhatdepravedthingsshehadplanedforme!" Pietro declared dramatically putting every drop of acting skills into his performance.

Magneto pinched the bridge of his nose. He severely doubted that Charles or his prize student would be brain washing anyone least of all his idiot progeny or the rest of The Brotherhood. And it was not pleasant to hear that his son was so easily captured by the enemy. "Pietro stop being a drama queen. I hardly think Charles or Jean is trying to brain wash you. But if they are kidnapping you there must be a reason. I shall look into this. Stay away from them for now until I find out more about what is going on." Magneto ordered before hanging up.

Pietro stuffed the cell phone into his pocket then turned to see everyone staring at him impatiently. "He said he'd look into it. Oh and we're ditching till he figures out whats going on." Pietro told them then dashed out of the room to the kitchen to get a snack. AKA enough food to feed a small family.

Wanda follow him as the others cheered at getting PERMISSION to ditch for who knows how long. "Pietro? Are you sure you're ok? What do you think reversed whatever the X-freaks were doing to you?"

Pietro thought fast as he shrugged casually. "Who knows. Maybe my mind works different from non-me people. Ya know the thinking in super speed thing. Or maybe I ODed on whatever they were doing and it stopped working."

Wanda nodded. "That makes sense. You always had to be different from everybody else." She said teasingly as she swiped a chip off his plate.

Pietro scowled at her sister for a moment before smirking. "I'm the normal one. It's everyone else that different."

Wanda snorted and rolled her eyes. "So is daddy going to come here?"

Pietro shrugged and waited a second till her swallowed to answer her. "I don't know. He didn't say. He said he'd look into it and to stay away from the X-Geeks."

Wanda frowned. "So wait he didn't specifically say to ditch school? Pietro....man you just love living life on the edge don't you?"

Pietro grinned. "Oh you know it!"

Wanda shook her head in amusement at her brother. "I really don't think dad wanted all of us ditching school for who knows how long."

Pietro grinned around his 12th sandwich. "Ya gotta learn to live on the wild side sis! Take a few risks! Have some fun!"

Wanda rolled her eyes. "Our ideas of fun are very different Pietro."

Pietro speed washed the dishes he'd used and stuck them back in the cupboard. "Yeah guess you're right on that. I don't blast people into walls for fun!"

Wanda's fingers twitched and she debated for a minute on blasting Pietro. "Funny brother. Funnnnny."

Pietro grinned. "You know it sis! Well I gotta jet. Things to see and people to do you know!" He tossed her a last smirk and disappeared off to who knows where.


End file.
